-^-for posterity-^-

today was the day to celebrate ‘cung co hon’ and it was fascinating. i would translate the phrase to mean, ‘pray to the wandering soul’, and it is a special day for all those who drive cars, trucks or busses.

because the common mode of transportation is the motorcycle and bicycle, people who drive larger vehicles are respected and their ability to traverse two lane roads cluttered with motorcycles, bicycles all moving independently. to drive a car here is quite a skill. to drive it from here to ho chi minh city and back so much as a scratch requires a master.

i looked out the window of my office today and saw a fascinating site. these almost all of the drivers the school employees, about 10 people, gathering around a long table covered with roasted pork and other food. in the middle of the table was an incense holder and these men went about saying a short prayer.

the sky was covered with dragonflies. they hovered and darted about, sometimes just letting the wind push them in random directions.

all of the school’s cars and busses were gathered around the table. they were all parked next to one another facing the table. they appeared reverent, a mechanical congregation respecting the wandering soul.

after the prayer, the drivers took their incense sticks and placed them in the cracks of their vehicles letting the smoke carry their prayers up to the wandering soul. the dragonflies were thick in the sky above.

each driver went to their respective vehicle and turned the lights on and blew the horn. another driver took a large pile of paper money and began to burn it. the smoke held close to the ground as the wind blew bits of paper around the parking lot. the horns were the congregational hymn, the money was the offering. the dragonflies hovered.

everyone stood around for a bit. the wandering soul stood still for a moment and, for some serendipitous reason, the dragonflies dispersed. there was silence and the ground smoldered a bit where the paper money was burned.